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Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Date: February 1st, 2014
Style: Double IPA, Imperial IPA
ABV: 8.2%
Similar To: Bells Hopslam, Bells All Day IPA (more bitter finish), Lagunitas Hop Stoopid
Description:
SRI was the second outstanding beer I enjoyed this Saturday afternoon. It had a high standard to live up to as I've had a run of good luck with Stone Brewing Co., having previously had Arrogant Bastard, Oaked Arrogant Bastard, Enjoy by IPA, Sublimely Self-Righteous, and their standard IPA. Happy to say that SRI didn't disappoint at all and was a great change of pace from the malty, citrus experience of the Biere D'Hougoumont. I've heard from several people that Ruination is the best of their IPAs and based on the forthcoming evidence, I may have to agree.
First Impression:
Golden orange/amber color, with a thin white head, which dissipated quickly. Though the above photo doesn't do the orange hue justice, see the one at the bottom of this post for a better example.
Smell:
Hoppy, piney, sweet, vaguely fruity.
Taste:
Strong hop taste, but surprisingly not as bitter as I'd expected for 100+ IBUs. Very well-balanced and though not sweet, I can taste some of the dry citrus fruits and pine which I got from the aroma.
On the Palate:
Smooth with low carbonation.
Why You'll like It:
Must be a fan of strong IPAs to appreciate this one. If you like any of the above beers to which I mentioned SRA is similar, then this is well worth trying.
...and why You won't:
Despite the fact that I found this to be less overwhelming bitter than many DIPAs, SRA still has enough hops and pine to likely give it limited appeal outside of those who like the style.
In Closing...:
By happy coincidence, after having SRA on my "To Drink" list for more than a year and finally getting to try it, the very next day I happened across another bottle at a Super Bowl party. This second tasting confirmed my initial reactions and also spawned the photo at the bottom of this post.
Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)
Golden orange/amber color, with a thin white head, which dissipated quickly. Though the above photo doesn't do the orange hue justice, see the one at the bottom of this post for a better example.
Smell:
Hoppy, piney, sweet, vaguely fruity.
Taste:
Strong hop taste, but surprisingly not as bitter as I'd expected for 100+ IBUs. Very well-balanced and though not sweet, I can taste some of the dry citrus fruits and pine which I got from the aroma.
On the Palate:
Smooth with low carbonation.
Why You'll like It:
Must be a fan of strong IPAs to appreciate this one. If you like any of the above beers to which I mentioned SRA is similar, then this is well worth trying.
...and why You won't:
Despite the fact that I found this to be less overwhelming bitter than many DIPAs, SRA still has enough hops and pine to likely give it limited appeal outside of those who like the style.
In Closing...:
By happy coincidence, after having SRA on my "To Drink" list for more than a year and finally getting to try it, the very next day I happened across another bottle at a Super Bowl party. This second tasting confirmed my initial reactions and also spawned the photo at the bottom of this post.
Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)
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